I never use this any more but might like to so here goes.

10-29-2015 Thurs

My new blog worked so if there is anyone out there that read this dumb blog please use Quiltedcollies2.blogspot.com.   I will try to list the date, day and in the first line where we are physically and the general idea of the blog for those of you who just want to know where we are and nothing else.
Thanks

8-15-15 Thurs

I have gotten a little grief about this blog as its to wordy and now to long and hard to follow and etc.   I hardly think enough people read it to make a difference but I can try to set up a new one called quilted collies 2.   If I can I will post it on here for those of you that care.  If I don't I will get back on here and try to do a catch up and then go from there.  It sounds as if the persons that don't like this format are people who really don't read it and just want to know where we are and that's all.  If that is the case I will try and just use facebook for those entries.   The blog is really my journal to keep track of the things we do, boring or otherwise.  I may want to look back on this some day.  If anyone wants to post a comment please feel free to do or send me a note via facebook.

Mon August 31 ,2015

I was told that I should start a different blog as there was to much stuff to wade thru.  Well, tough cookies.  This is my journal of sorts and so if someone wants to read it fine and if not fine too.  I doubt anyone does as its boring and I am not the best writer.   But it is what it is and if you do come on, welcome.
We have spent the weekend at Bonnie's after spending the week at shakopee near sindelars.  We had a nice visit there and Shirley always sets up a little open house for the kids so they can some see us. It's really cool to see that family and see how it grows,  I made my stop at the quilt store there that is so nice and then we also took one day and went to the state fair.  That was tiring but it was fun to go there again.  It is still the best state fair I have ever seen.
Our weekend at Bonnie's was busy.  Bonnie and I ran errands on sat and took Kathy out to lunch,  it was so special as we haven't had a time just the three of us for a long time,  Leroy got to go to the races on sat nite,  sprints at a near by race track and he always enjoys it, says they are some pretty good drivers.
Sun I had my hair cut, not short, just evened off and she did such a nice job.  And then we got groceries and ran some more errands.  So we were busy all weekend and it's fun staying in Racine and visiting with Bonnie in a relaxed atmosphere.  I don't do enough for her and all I managed to do this time was clean up her flower beds.
Today we started out towards California.  We stopped at a rest area in Dow Iowa and it had the greatest rest area.  Evidently they are or have a bunch of high tech spots out there and this was ones them.  It is a memorial to civil war veterans.  Iowa lost more men in the civil war than any state.  It had all these symbolism in its architecture.  I can't remember all of it and didn't take my camera but one trail had markers that had letters from Iowa soldiers engraved in them that were written home from the civil war.   They had this huge area with mowed trails in it that I could walk the dogs in, it was so nice the dogs didn't pee or poop, they just walked and enjoyed it and smelled things along the way.  It was full of flowers.  One of the workers said it was the greatest place to work.
It is hot an humid out but if I would lose weight it wouldn't bother me so much.
All for now.

8/22/15 Sat and 8/24/15 Mon

Well here we are at the Treasure Island Casino in Red Wing.  We have stayed at Bonnies I think since the 7th.   We had a really nice time.  She has that pad by the garage and it works out great.  I always think she does too much for us but its fun and relaxing to visit . Saw Tim a few times and he has changed so much since his surgery, all for the good, and he looks and feels better and is like the old Tim now.  Saw Jill and Craig, only at the memorial as I was gone the day they stopped.  Craig is doing really well now after having had a really really bad car accident.  So glad he is well and able to walk now.  Saw Jett a couple times, saw Rennie the most as he lives close.  Saw Aleesha and her little baby Ava and the other new baby in the family  River.  Both are really cute.  Bright eyed and sharp.  Guess I forgot how cute babies were. Saw Aimee at the memorial but didn't get a chance to talk with her unfortunately.  Anyhow it was nice and I saw lots of them and it was nice to do it in at a slower pace.  We had a nice supper with Cassie and her family and a visit with her brother Tom the next day so I had some time again with them before we left.
The two +/- weeks spent with Heidi was harder than I thought but I wouldn't have had it any other way.  It was so special and we shared some really wonderful time and conversations and special times. I will always have that time to remember.  During that time I  also got even closer to her dear children.  That family has always been special to me, and I have been especially close with them as we lived together for some years. Heidi was like a dau and a sister to me both.  I got to know her S.O.  better too and they had a love like you see only on television. It was very emotional.
My nephew on Leroys side is a minister now and he conducted the memorial.   That was kind of meaningful as his mother took care of Heidi when she was a baby.  They played together, so it was fitting that he sent me on her way to a less painful life.  She is now better and in no more pain.
Her dau set up the park so cute with pictures and videos and stuff all over.  They had the greatest flowers  ordered and a light lunch.  It was great.  And since Heidi was a great chef and baker extroidenare  I made a sign that we put on an empty table saying There will be no desserts in memory of the cake lady  Heidi Marie Boysen.   About 150 + attended and it was held in a lovely park a few blocks from her house. There were many friends of hers, les', the kids plus lots of family we haven't seen.  Bad to only see people at funerals but sometimes that's the way it is.  Sad we can make time for that and not to see people when we could and are healthy.
But life goes on, even tho myself (and probably all of us) are still on the verge of tears.  I am finally getting some sleep.
In this writing time we moved from red wing to a casino up by shakopee.  We will visit Leroys sister a bit and then the weekend we will be at bonnies again and hopefully on our way out of the state by the first of next week.  I think we are going to go to the state fair on thurs.  Its just or was the best state fair ever so will be glad to see it.
We will then proceed to California where we have jobs as a camp host and etc at a place about 24 miles NE of Santa Barbara at lake cachuma.  We will probably be there till first of DEC or Jan.  So with a few quick stops on the way there we will get there in a timely manner and start our job.
We are all well.  Iris has recovered from her spay by now and her thyroid was low so she is on thyroid medicine now.  She is eating again and actually gaining too much weight.  Everyone else is fine.
We also took out our washer/dryer and dishwasher out of the RV so Leroy is busy trying to figure out the best way to use that new space.
Jeff has a new puppy but this one he has to keep.  Not taking another one of his dogs.  He is stuck with this one.  Its a pom/dauchund cross.  He is cute now, hope he stays that way.

Oh I guess my bosses at the fairground from the summer gave me a gift certificate of thank you.  Isn't that nice and quite the surprise. So maybe I didn't work so hard in vain.
So anyhow that about sums up the last few months and we will see if I can do it more often now and make it more interesting.

8/17/15 Mon

Yest was Heidi's memorial.  It was a sad sad day and lots of tears were shed.  I spent the last 2 weeks caring for her and I wouldn't have been anywhere else.  It was such a special time and we had some golden moments between the two of us.  I wouldn't have given it up for the world.   I also had some special time with her two children and saw a different side of her spouse I had never seen.  She and Les had a special kind of love, almost like something you have ever seen, something like you see on television.  It even astounded the minister.   So she was about love and it was reflected in the 150+ people that came to the service.  It was outside in the park and her daughter did such a beautiful job of getting it set up.  She had a time line in pictures laid out and hung on a rope so people could look at them.  It was special.  She had a DJ that played music, she had albums set out and a video show playing.  It was just great.
But I still miss her and her spouse gave me a small wooden thing he made that fits on a key chain and it is a small piece of her ashes.   That made me cry all over again..
So today I just did some computer work and laid around mainly.  I pulled a few of my sisters weeds in her garden and really accomplished nothing.
I think it will take me a long time to recover emotionally and physically.

7/30 Thurs

I am here with my dear sweet niece Heidi.  She is winding down and soon will go to her heavenly home. It is hard and also a blessing to be at her side.  I wish I could trade places with her as my life is close to its end and she still has so much ahead of her with three wonderful grandchildren now and maybe more to come.  Two wonderful children and a very loving significant other.  We spent the day looking at pictures of her life and that possibly we can use to in the future at her memorial service.
My blog will suffer again as my mind and heart are only with her right now.